Lille, with its industrial past, is a city that has flourished over recent years, in part due to the rising tourism created by the opening of the Eurostar, followed not long after by its stint as European Capital of Culture in 2004. Originally home to a massive textile industry, it suffered the familiar slump so many industrial cities have witnessed, but in the 1990s the arrival of the high speed TGV train to Paris and the Eurostar from London brought much needed investment into the city. Whilst living in London years ago, when the Eurostar hadn’t reached today’s popularity, I remember often taking advantage of their £40 return day trip prices and falling in love with Lille in the process. Alas, the days of those bargains are long gone as this fascinating city has steadily grown in popularity and has slowly blossomed into a vibrant city packed full of fashionable shops, eateries and bars.
One of the many shop lined streets near the old town.
Despite being the largest city in Northern France, the accessibility and compactness of the city centre make for a perfect weekend break. Its proximity to Belgium gives it a distinctly Flemish feel, with the influence of both countries merging seamlessly into a myriad of cobbled streets lined with quirky gabled buildings, and large squares shadowed by grand French architecture.
Quirky architecture of Lille
The most enchanting part of the city is most certainly the old town, its old textile workhouses now home to luxury shops and independent boutiques, the main focus being around Rue de la Monnaie and Rue Basse. These cobbled streets and those around them are perfect for losing yourself in and the tall narrow buildings are hiding a tucked away square, home to the city’s beautiful cathedral. Whilst certainly not on a par with some of the world’s most spectacular cathedrals, its interest lies in its modern facade which was only completed in 1999, and inside is home to a set of modern and beautiful paintings depicting the station’s of the cross.
Atmospheric and the crepes are good too.
Upscale restaurant with fine cuisine at the Rouge Barre.
Like anywhere in France food here is rich, heavy and delicious. Rue de Gand, an old pathway leading to the ramparts and out of the city, is lined with restaurant after restaurant and in summer there is a great vibe as the Lillois spill out onto the streets and dine al fresco. For me a trip to France isn’t complete without a trip to a creperie and my favourite is ‘Le Repaire du Lion’ (6 Place du Lion d’Or) sitting in the heart of the old town. With a great selection of both sweet and savoury pancakes, good service and a cozy space with bare brick walls and a vaulted ceiling, this is the perfect place for a quick and cheap bite to eat.
Casual atmosphere but great wine at BAr Braz.
Although not a wine making region, with the Belgium influence of beer drinking prominent, there is still opportunity to taste some good wine and new wine bars are popping up all the time. Just beyond the old town, the area near the food market has seen some great places open over the years including the top end restaurant ‘Rouge Barre’ (50 Rue de la Halle), offering gourmet cuisine from its Michelin starred chef. A few strides away is the atmospheric wine bar ‘JaJa’ (36 Rue Saint-André); always busy this is a popular spot and is worth a stop for some cheese and ham and to sample their selection of wines.
Cool logo from a cool bar
Delicious nibbles to accompany the wine at ‘Au gre du vin’
Back room bar at the Gré du Vin
Tucked away near the cathedral is my favourite place for a tipple; Bar Braz (43 Rue Doudin), a wine bar definitely aimed at a younger market with decor reminiscent of a New York loft with funky tunes in the background. The staff are wonderfully friendly and knowledgable and they have a great wine selection by the glass. They insist you taste your wine first which I think is wonderful, not only does it ensure that they are not serving wine that has obviously been open too long (as so many bars do), it also gives you the opportunity to decide on a wine suitable for your tastes. We opted for a subtly complex Syrah with delicious woody notes of plum and raisin, and in contrast a young Chinon; a Cabernet Franc from the Loire region, a peculiar wine in that it is red but has distinct green leafy flavours that turn gradually into a warm pepper. They offered us a perfect example of this particular wine. Directly opposite is the equally trendy ‘La Capsule‘ (25 Rue des trois Mollettes), home to a great beer list if that’s your preferred drink of choice.
Plenty of wine to choose from at Monsieur Jacques
Around the corner is a more relaxed affair, a wine shop with a few tables at the back specialising in organic wine predominantly from Southern France, ‘Au Gré du Vin’ (20 Rue Péterynck) is a great place to just sit and chill out. Offering ham and cheese platters as well as some simple dishes it’s all too easy to while away a few hours (and a few glasses of wine) here.
Hard at work at the bustling Monsieur Jacques
And if you’re still standing after those suggestions I would suggest rounding off the night at ‘Monsieur Jacques‘, although being situated on Rue de Gand, with all its restaurants, makes it the perfect place for either a pre or post dinner drink. Hugely popular, you may have to fight for a seat but it’ll be worth it as the atmosphere is great and even though their wine by the glass selection is brilliant I would suggest splashing out on a bottle from their extensive list. Which is what we did!
